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George YeoMinister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. Guest Columnist of BeyondSG. He is on Facebook. Readers are welcome to join his Facebook network at http://www.facebook.com/georgeyeopage

Harold FockEntrepreneur (Chief Editor of BeyondSG).
Deputy CEO/CFO of a listed technology company in Asia and CEO of Foundation Capital Pte Ltd, a hedge fund based in Singapore.

December 30, 2009

"Dum" Competition

"Dum" or checkers is an under-rated game.In fact, it is played all over Singapore, mostly by older folks.Some betting on the side makes it more interesting. Somehow it has not received the same recognition as western chess, chinese chess, bridge or mahjong (the so-called 'intellectual'games).In my division, dum is always played near VariNice coffeeshop at Bedok Reservoir and at Hougang Central near the Malay barber shop.This year, I got the shop committee to organise a dum competition.Notices were put up all over Singapore making it a kind of national competition, the first ever, I was told.

I witnessed the last two games played last Sunday at Hougang Central.The champion, Loh Chin Lock, played them brilliantly.He is from Sengkang, an odd job labourer.The game would begin in a grinding way with both players pushing pieces forward carefully.This was followed by a few exchanges freeing up space.Then, when no one expected anything, Mr Loh would make a series of breathtaking moves which devastated the opponent.Mr Loh has the reputation of being the best dum player in Singapore, so fearsome that other players avoided playing with him in the earlier rounds.The prize money was $500.

I hope we would give dum more attention.It is fun and easily accessible to young and old.My shop committee intends to hold another 'national' competiton next year with better prizes.